The annual mid-summer visit to my favourite Austrian waterhole offered an opportunity to revisit the Ruming Mill (near Fuschl am See) 'insect hotel' and see just "who's at home" this summer...

*The first frame is a 'ringer' that, frankly, is not what it's all about! - [the commercially inspired answer perhaps???].

The more traditional structure has various cells/ compartments that seem to be dominated by several lone Mason Bee cells (partially & fully waxed in). Spiders and earwigs find a home in the corners, nooks & crannies. The ants' nest seen last year (June 2015) has now 'moved on' - pehaps they didn't get on with their close neighbours??!!

I love all my 'toys' to complete abstraction: many of them might be described as "p***Ographic" - especially as they can keep me happily amused/ occupied for hours, if not whole days on end, even weeks if the weather is right.....!!

This season started late caused by 'indifferent' weather; so I decided to pick up tomato varieties grown on in modules via GC: "Artisan Pink" and "Indigo Apple" took my fancy!! Has anyone any idea what they might turn out like as I've not come across either named variety before?? BTW: plants are doing well (utd); each one growing away in large poly pots in unheated greenhouse....

These Aeron Purple Star runner bean plants were grown on in an unheated greenhouse, then planted out end of 1st week of May. They have now climbed about 3 feet up a cane frame (erected at the same time). Fingers crossed, no frost likely now in coastal SW Pembs (just 30 feet above sea level).

*Troughs hold just five seeds, allowing plenty of root run into seived compost circa 15cm deep.